The Rev. Jesse Jackson told the Chicago Sun-Times on Wednesday night he doubted a flare-up over a remark attributed to him about White House hopeful Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) "acting like he's white" would harm the campaign. He called discussions about the blackness or whiteness of the biracial Obama "absurd."

Jackson, who has endorsed Obama, on Tuesday was conducting a voter registration drive in South Carolina, a crucial early primary state with a substantial African-American vote. A big black voter turnout would help Obama.